Remote control for switch throwing devices



June 10, 1941. 2,245,146

REMOTE CONTROL FOR SWITCH THROWING DEVICES` A. J. GURNEY r-:T AL

2 Sheets-Sheet l Fild Dec.

June 10, 1941.

A. J. GURNEY ETAL REMOTE CONTROL FOR SWITCH THROWING DEVICES Filed Dec.24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ai al /za A' da 64 64 66 f o may Patented June10, 1941 REMOTE CONTROL FOR SWITCH THROW- ING DEVICES Albert J. Gurneyand Glenn D. Gurney, Canton, Ohio, assignors to The American Mine DoorCompany, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December Z4,1338, Serial No. 247,690

(Cl. 20G-50) 13 Claims.

The invention relates to remote controls for operating a switch throwingdevice of the gen-- eral type disclosed in Gurney Patent No. 1,843,-766, dated February 2, 1932, and more particularly to an overhead handswitch for controlling such devices.

Switch throwing devices, such as the present invention is adapted tooperate, are commonly used for operating rail switches in mine railwaysand the like and the control devices now in general use for suchpurposes are in the form of a double pole hand switch located overheadand adapted to be manually operated by the motor runner as the train orlocomotive passes beneath the same.

As the operator is thus upon a moving train while the manually operatedswitch is located at a stationary point, the manual operation of theswitch must be accomplished rapidly as the locomotive moves beneath thesame.

For this reason it is necessary for the operator to strike the handle ofthe control switch with his hand as he passes the same and it frequentlyhappens that the operator does not strike the handle with sulicientforce to throw the switch entirely to the closed position and as aresult, the switch throwing device is not operated and a violent arc isproduced in the controlling switch.

It also frequently happens that the operator strikes the switch handlewith so muchforce that the switch blade will rebound to the oppositecontact often resulting inoperating the switch throwing device in thewrong direction as well as causing a violent arc in the controllerswitch.

The object of the present improvement is to provide a manually operatedcontrolling switch so constructed and arranged that whenever theoperating handle is thrown in either direction contact will be made tooperate the switch throwing device in the proper direction.

A further object is to provide a controlling switch of this character inwhich the blade of the switch will be held in contact until the switchthrowing device has operated.

A still further object is to provide a controlling switch of thischaracter which only makes but does not break the circuit so as to avoidany arcs during the operation of the switch.

Another object is to provide a controlling switch of this characterprovided with a coil in series with the coils of the switch throwingdevice for holding the contact blade of the controlling switch incontact until the switch throwing device has operated Vto throw theheavy rail switch.

Still another object is to provide a controlling switch of thischaracter having two switch blades adapted to operate the switchthrowing device in opposite directions with means for preventing eitherswitch blade from being moved to operative position after the otherblade has started to move toward Contact, and provided with interlockmeans for holding each switch blade outl until the other blade has beenreleased.

A still further object of the improvement is to provide a controllingswitch having a manually operated handle which may swing back afteroperation without breaking the circuit already closed or allowing theother circuit to be closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a depending, peripheralbead upon the base surrounding the rotatable ring portion of theoperating handle, to act as a drip molding in damp or wet locations.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from thedrawings and following description or which may loe later referred tomay be attained by constructing the improved remote control switch inthe manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a bottom plan view of the improved remote control switch with partsbroken away for the purpose of illustration;

Fig. 2, an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional view showing the switchblades or arms and associated parts;

Fig. 3, a detached perspective View of one of the switch blades or arms;

Fig. 4, an enlarged transverse sectional View taken as on the line 4 4,Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5, a wiring diagram of the improved remote control switch andswitch throwing device which it operates.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The remote control switch mechanism may be mounted upon a metal base inthe form of a disk I0 provided with ears II having apertures I2 thereinfor attaching the same to any suitable overhead support.

A depending peripheral bead I3 is formed upon the base plate IIJextending entirely around j the same, and at one point a dependingarcuate ange I4 is formed thereon and spaced inwardly from the bead I3.

An electro-magnet I5 may be mounted upon the base plate ID adjacent tothe center of the arcuate flange I4, each pole piece thereof being inthe form of an angular bracket I of electrical iron forming a magneticcircuit of high .permeability except for the air gap between theinturned ends of the brackets.

A pair of pivoted arms, each comprising a combined switch -blade andarmature, are located adjacent to the magnet as indicated at I1, andeach of these arms is pivoted as at I8 upon the base plate IQ.

These arms may include a casting of bronze or other non-magneticmaterial indicated generally at I3 having the bearing boss 20 and theextension 2l provided with a lug 22, the armature being carried by thisextension and being in the form of an iron plate 23 loosely mounted uponthe extension as by the pivot 24., and the stud 25 of smaller diameterthan the-aperture 25a in the plate, allowing the armature to adaptitself to the pole pieces IS. This plate has a vertical flange 25adapted to contact the angular ends of the iron pole pieces I6 upon themagnet.

An insulation plate 21, of Bakelite or the like may be attached to theprojection 28 upon the bearing hess 2i! as by screws 29 and providedwith an angular Vflange 30 to which is attached a spaced pair of springlingers 3|, of laminated spring steel and copper or the like, leachhaving a contact plate xed to its outer end.

Both of the arms I1 are of the same construction but the positionsthereof are reversed and the armature plate 23 is on the top of one armand on the underside ofthe other arm.

An ear 33 is formed upon each of the arms I1, extending to the otherside of the pivotal point from the extension 2l, and a coil spring 34 isconnected at one end to each ear and its oppo-V site end is connected tothe arcuate iiange I4 of the baseplate as indicated at 35.

An insulation block 36 is fixed upon the base plate IG adjacent to eacharm I1 and provided with a spaced pair of contacts 31 for engagementwith the Contact plates` 32 of the corresponding arm I1. Y

The operating handle comprises a ring portion 33 rotatable within thebead I3 and having diametrically opposite hollow bosses 39 to which areconnected the handles 40 which may be of wood or insulation material,and this ring has formed thereon or fixed thereto a bottom wall or web'lhaving a hub portion 42 pivoted or journaled upon Y a central bolt 153xed to the base plate I.

a guide portion 41 slidably mounted .between the guides 4S fixed uponthe base plate I Il, .a coil springg being interposed between thesliding plate 45 andthe bracket 59 at the outer end of the guides iS forholding the sliding plate against the straight edge 45 of the extensionM.

The sliding plate 43 may also have the forwardly extending guide iingers5I slidably loca-ted around opposite sides of the bushing 52 `located.between the hub 152 and the pivotal bolt 43.

A pair of oppositely disposed spring nngers 53 are connected to the hub42, one of :said lingers being adapted to contact the Vlug Z2 Vupon eachswitch arm l1, when the handle ,is oscillated around the pivot 43., inorder to move the varma- Y ture plate 23 of said arm toward the magnetI5 andto simultaneously move the contacts 32 of said arm into engagementwith the fixed contacts 31.

It will thus be seen that as the handle S40 isoscillated in eitherdirection, one of the arms I1 will be swung upon its pivot to bring thearmature thereof into the range of the magnet I5 as the movable contacts32 upon said Yarm engage the corresponding xed contacts, 31.

As willbe clearly seen from an inspection of Fig. 4, the castings I3,forming a part of each armv I1, are so positioned that although theirupper and lower edges are in slightly diierent horizontal planes, thegreater portion of each arm lies in the same horizontal plane as theother arm, so thai only one arm at a time may assume the closed positionadjacent to the magnet I5.

With one arm I1 moved to operative position as shown in Fig. 2, it willbe seen that the other arm is held out so that even though the handle isstruck with considerable force and reboundsv in the opposite direction,the contact will not be' broken and no contact can be made on the otherside.

The wiring isshown in the diagram in Fig. 5 in which the trolley wirefor the mine railway'is indicated at 54, the improved remote controlswitch is indicated generally at 55- and the rail switch throwingdevice, such as disclosed in Patent No. 1,843,766 above referred to, isindicated generally lat 56.

The wire 51 leads from the trolley wire 54 to the magnet I5 and a wire58 leads from the magnet to one of the spaced fixed contacts 31 oi' eachpa1r. Y Y Y The other contact 31 of each pair is connected by a wire 59with one of the spaced xed Ycontacts 50 of each pair in the switchthrowing device. The other spaced xed contact 6I of each pair isconnected by a wire 62 or 32a with one oi the solenoids 63 or 63a.respectively, of the switch throwing device.

If signal lights are desired, a: pair of contacts B4 adaptedy to bealternately engaged by the switch blade 65 ofthe switch throwing deviceare connected by wires 68 to thesignal lights 51 which are alsoconnected to the trolley wire 54 as by the wire A|58.

In the operation of the improved remote control switch, it will be seenvthat when the handle is thrown in either direction, it willVimmediately bring the corresponding movable contacts 32 into contactwith the corresponding pair of spaced contacts 31.

At 'the same time the corresponding armature 23 will be moved toward themagnet I5 which will be energized by the closing of the contacts 32-31,

, holding the switch arm in this position.'

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in the diagram inFig. 5,in order to operate `the switch throwing device .to throw' the switch inthe opposite direction, the handle of the remote con- .trol .switch isoperated to move the right hand switch arm 'in position to close thecircuit through the right hand pair of contacts 31.

The instant this happens the magnet I5 is energized as Vthe cir-cuit isthen completed through the .same from the trolley wire 54 through thewire 51, magnet I5, wire 58, contacts 32--31 at the right side of thediagram, wire 59 at the right side of the diagram, contact 6U, switchblade B5 and contact 6I at the right side of the switch throwing device,wire 62a, coil 63a .to ground.

switch throwing device in the manner described in Patent No. 1,843,766above referred to and throwing the switch blade 65 of the switchthrowing device into the opposite position breaking the circuit to themagnet I and permitting the switch arm I1 to be thrown back toinoperative or open position by means of the corresponding spring 34.

It will thus be seen that the improved remote control switch willoperate much more satisfactorily and positively than the switches now ingeneral use, that it cannot be operated in the wrong direction andcannot produce an arc since the switch blade contacts 32 only make butdo not brealk the circuit.

We claim: i

1. A control switch including an electro-magnet located in two normallyopen circuits, a pair of opposed switch arms located in substantiallythe same plane as each other and pivoted intermediate their ends uponspaced, parallel pivots, contact means at one end of each arm forclosing one of the circuits and an armature movably mounted upon theother end of each arm, an operating handle pivotally mountedintermediate its ends, independently of the switch arms upon a pivotparallel to the switch arm pivots, oppositely disposed spring iingersupon the central portion of the handle adapted to selectively contactthe corresponding switch arms to swing either switch arm upon its pivotto move the contact means thereon to circuit closing position and tosimultaneously move the corresponding armature into the range of themagnet.

2. A control switch including an electro-magnet located in two normallyopen circuits, a pair of opposed switch arms located in substantiallythe same plane as each other and -pivoted intermediate their ends uponspaced, parallel pivots, contact means at one end of each arm forclosing one of the circuits and an armature movably mounted upon theother end of each arm, an operating handle pivotally mountedintermediate its ends, independently of the switch arms upon a pivotparallel to the switch arm pivots, oppositely disposed spring fingersupon the central portion of the handle adapted to selectively contactthe corresponding switch arms to swing either switch arm upon its pivotto move the contact means thereon to circuit closing position and tosimultaneously move the corresponding armature into the range of themagnet, and means upon the switch arms for preventing each switch armfrom being operated when the other switch arm is in the operatedposition.

3. A control switch including an electro-magnet located in two normallyopen circuits, a pair of opposed switch arms located in substantiallythe same plane as each other and pivoted intermediate their ends uponspaced, parallel pivots, contact means at one end of each arm forclosing one of the circuits and an armature movably mounted upon theother end of each arm, an operating handle pivotally mounted.`intermediate its ends, independently of the switch arms upon a pivotparallel to the switch arm pivots, oppositely disposed spring lingersupon the central portion of the handle adapted to selectively contactthe corresponding switch arms to swing either switch arm. upon its pivotto move the contact means thereon to circuit closing position and tosimultaneously move the corresponding armature into the range of themagnet, and

means for returning the operating handle to A75,

normal position while the operated switch arm rema-ins in the closedposition.

4. A control switch including an electro-magnet located in two normallyopen circuits, a pair of opposed switch arms located in substantiallythe same plane as eachother and pivoted intermediate their ends uponspaced, parallel pivots, contact means at one end of each arm forclosing one of the circuits and an armature movably mounted upon theother end of each arm, an operating handle pivotally mountedintermediate its ends, independently of the switch arms upon a pivotparallel to the switch arm pivots, oppositely disposed spring ngers uponthe central portion of the handle adapted to selectively contact thecorresponding switch arms to swing either switch arm upon its pivot tomove the contact means thereon to circuit closing position and tosimultaneously move the corresponding armature into the range of themagnet, means upon the switch arms for preventing each switch arm frombeing operated when the other switch arm is in the operated position,and means for returning the operating handle to normal position whilethe operated switch arm remains in the closed position.

5. A control switch including an electro-magnet located in two normallyopen circuits, a pair of independently pivoted switch arms one forclosing each circuit, an independent armature upon each switch arm, anda common operating handle pivotally mounted independently of the switcharms under a pivot parallel to the switch arm pivots and adapted to beoperated to selectively engage either switch arm to move the same tocircuit closing position andv simultaneously move the correspondingarmature into the range of the magnet.

6. A control switch including an electro-magnet located in two normallyopen circuits, a pair of independently pivoted switch arms one forclosing each circuit, an independent armature upon each switch arm, anoperating handle pivotally mounted independently of the switch armsupon-a pivot parallel to the switch arm pivots and adapted to beoperated to selectively engage either switch arm to move the same tocircuit closing position and simultaneously move the correspondingarmature into the range of the magnet, and means for preventing eachswitch from being operated when the other switch arm is in the operatedposition.

'7. A control switch including an electro-magnet located in two normallyopen circuits, a pair of independently pivoted switch arms one forclosing each circuit, an independent armature upon each switch arm, anoperating handle pivotally mounted independently of the switch arms upona pivot parallel to the switch arm pivots and adapted to be operated toselectively engage either switch arm to move the same to circuit closingposition and simultaneously move the corresponding armature into therange of the magnet, and means upon the switch arms for preventing eachswitch from being operated when the other switch arm is inthe operatedposition.

8. A control switch including an electro-mag net located in two normallyopen circuits, a pair of independently pivoted switch arms one forclosing each circuit, an independent armature upon each switch arm, anoperating handle pivotally mounted independently of the switch arms upona pivot parallel to the switch arm pivots and adapted to be operated toselectively engage either switch arm to move the same to circuit closingposition and simultaneously move the lcorresponding armature into therange ofthe magnet; and meansY for yreturning the operating handle tonor- Ymal position while the operated switch arm remains in closedposition.

9. A control switch including an electro-mag- Y net located in twonormally open circuits, apair of switch arms independently pivotedintermediate their ends at spaced points and each having contact meansat one end for closing one of the circuits and an independent armatureat its other end; and, an operating handle pivotally mounted iintermediate its ends independently of the switch of switch armsindependently pivoted intermedi-A ate their ends upon spaced pivotpoints and each havingcontact means at one end for closing one of thecircuits and an independent armature at its other end, a commonoperating handle mounted independently of the switch arms and adapted tobeoperated to selectively engage either switch arml to swing the switcharm upon its pivot to move the contact means thereon to circuit closingposition and simultaneously move the correspond ing armature into therange of the magnet, and means for preventing each switch arm from beingoperated when the other switch arm is in operated position. Y

11. A control switch including an electro-magnet'located in two normallyopen circuits, a; pair of switch arms independently pivoted intermediatetheir ends upon spaced pivot points and each having contact means at oneend for closing one.

of the circuits and an independent, movably mounted armature at itsother end, a common operating handle mounted independently of the switcharms and adapted to be operated to selectively engage either switch armto swing the switch arm upon its pivot to move the contact meansthereonY to circuit closing position and simultaneously move thecorresponding arma.- ture into the range of the magnet, and means forreturning ,the operating handle to normal position while the operatedswitch armY remains in closed position.

12. A control switch including a base plate, an electro-magnet vmountedon the base plate and located in two normally open circuits, a pair ofswitch armsindependently pivoted intermediate their endsgat spacedpoints. upon the base plate and each. having contact means at one endfor closing one of the'circuits and an independent, movably mountedarmature at its other. end, spring means for normally holding the switcharms in open position, an operating handle pivoted intermediate its endsupon the base plate and adapted toV be operated to selectively engageeither switcharm to. swing the switch arm upon its pivot to move thecontact means thereon to circuit closing position and simultaneouslymovev the corresponding armature into the rangeofv the magnet,an dspring means for returning the operating handle to the initial positionwhile the operated switch arm remains in closedposition,

13. A control switch including a base, plate, an electro-magnet mountedon the base plate and located in two normally open circuits, a pair ofswitch arms pivoted intermediate their ends at spaced points upon thebase plate and eachVv having contact means at one end for closing one oithe circuits and an independent, movably mounted armatureA at its otherend, spring means for normally holdingjthe switch arms in open position,an operating handle pivoted intermediate its ends upon therbase plateand adapted to be operated to selectively engage either switch arm toswing the switch arm upon its pivot to move the contactmeans thereon tocircuit closingposition and simultaneously move the correspondingvarmature in to Vthe range of the magnet, spring means for returning the,operating handle tothe initial position while theoperated switch armremains in closed position, and an annular bead upon said base plate anda ring attached to the operating handle and rotatable within said bead.

ALBERT J. GURNEY.

GLENN D. GURNEY.

